General William Heath

Memorial to General William Heath, Forest Hills cemetery.


While driving around the west edge of Forest Hills cemetery, I came upon this monument to Roxbury's (and Jamaica Plain's) own General William Heath. It's difficult to see from the photo, but the monolith is a large one, standing taller than a man. At that size, it's quite dramatic, but unfortunately it is not particulary well located. It stands along the outer road, facing out and away from the rest of the cemetery, seen properly only by cars driving by.

The Heaths were among the first settlers of Roxbury, and farmed the land between Parker Hill (and Heath street) and today's Centre street, between Hyde and Jackson squares. General Heath was actice in the militia, and served under Washington during the war. He died in 1814, which makes me wonder where he was originally buried. Forest Hills was not opened until 1848, so if he is interred at the site of this monument, he must have been moved from elsewhere.

I left the photo full size: click on it to read the plaque.

Jamaica Plain's Lost Revolutionary War Cemeteries

This excerpt immediately follows the previous one in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. It tells the story of the three estates that were used as hospitals during the Revolutionary War, and where soldiers were buried. It seems as if the Hallowell property was also used as a cemetery by local people.

This article by the late Walter Marx suggests that the caskets from all three sites were reburied at Walter street, where a small number of headstones can be seen at the edge of the Arboretum. It seems unlikely to me that they would have been able to find all the graves without markers, so I suspect, as I said in the previous entry, that some might have been left behind. That's pure speculation, of course, but not unreasonable.






"There are three other places within the limits of Jamaica Plain where burials have been made.

In the summer of 1775, one or more regiments were stationed on the Plain, and many of the soldiers quartered in different houses, upon the inhabitants. (See Dr. Gray's Half Century Sermon.)

Three estates in the place were confiscated, and the houses standing on the used as hospitals; viz., Commodore Loring's Governor Bernard's and Capt. Benjamin Hallowell's. The Commodore's house, built in 1760, on the corner made by the intersection of Austin [Centre] and South streets, after having weathered the storms of 95 years, is at this day, taken in connection with its surroundings, hardly exceeded by any modern built mansion in its neighborhood. About a quarter of a mile back of this then hospital, the soldiers who died within its walls were buried.

Col. Henly, who had some charge over Burgoyne's captive army while at Cambridge, is recollected to have occupied the Loring house at that time.

It came next into the possession of widow Ann (Hough) Doane, who, in 1784, married David Stoddard Greenough, Esq. Their son, and only child, Col. David Stoddard Greenough, Esq, owned it on the death of his father. Col. David Stoddard Greenough, of the third generation, now owns and occupies it; he also having a son David Stoddard.

It is credible to the Greenough family that, through their several ownerships and occupancies, no violation of the graves of the revolutionary soldiers, on their grounds, has yet been allowed. The number of burials made cannot now be ascertained, from the mounds having become levelled by the rains of so many years, and by the tread of cattle feeding over them. But from the number of rude stones, probably taken from walls or picked up in the fields, and set up as head and foot stones, they may be estimated at thirty - or more.

The following inscription, pretty well executed for the time, was taken from the only headstone showing the mark of the graver's tool;

"Here lies ye Body of serg't Danl Niles of Easton, who Died Novr, ye 2nd A.D. 1775. Aged 41 years."

The Governor Bernard estate was situated on the westerly side of Jamaica Pond, having thereon a considerable extent of shore and a liberal share of front on Pond street. After the removal of the soldiers from the premises, the first remembered occupant was Martin Brimmer, Esq., who, after a long residence, died there in 1804. Capt. John Prince bought the estate in 1806, and in 1809 took down and removed the old house, a part of which had stood 141 years; and in which no doubt many bumpers of good wine had been drunk to the health of the several sovereigns of Great Britain, who had flourished during that period.

Some few years before his decease, Capt. Prince procured a road to be laid out and made through the premises, from Pond street to Perkins street; after the accomplishment of which, he divided the whole into good sized building lots, on several of which beautiful houses have since been erected.

The burial ground on the Bernard estate was near a small fish pond, on elevated ground, at some distance back from the buildings. The spot was ploughed many years ago; and it is said some of the coffins were disturbed in the operation. No one in the neighborhood remembers to have seen the ground before the ploughing, and therefore no estimate can be made of the number buried.

The Hallowell house, built about 1738, stands on a corner made by the intersection of Austin [Centre] and Boylston streets. It has lately been purchased by Dr. B.F. Wing, who has thoroughly repaired it, and, by the addition of one or more wings, has given it something more of quaintness than it previously exhibited.

Capt. Hallowell married a Boylston, and in the right of his wife held the above property; but his sympathies happening to be with the Royalist party, he left Roxbury in some haste for Boston in 1775, and thence took passage from England, where he passed the remainder of his life. While the Hallowell house was used as a hospital, the burials from it were made near the road, about forty rods [220 yards] from the house, on the way to Boylston street depot.

An octogenarian pair noted for their accurate recollections, who were born and have always lived near the Hallowell house, think the first occupant of the place, after the term of its hospital-ity, was a Frenchman, whose name was Fefabre; and that it was he who, to the astonishment and universal indignation of the neighbors, ploughed over and obliterated all marks of the graves. They likewise say that people who had set up marks whereby to distinguish the graves of their friends of kinsmen, and came after to remove them, returned home disappointed and in sorrow.

About the year 1789, Dr. Leprilete bought the premises and kept possession till after the decease of Capt Hallowell, when a son of his assumed the name of his mother's family - Boylston. This son, Ward Nicholas Boylston, presuming, or being advised, that the confiscation could hold no longer than his father's lifetime, came over, and in the name and right of his mother, laid claim to, and by process of law obtained the property, about the year 1800. It now belongs to Mr. Thomas Boylston, by the will of his grandfather, the late Ward Nicholas Boylston, Esq. "

Necrology

This entry is taken from The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, by Henry Fritz-Gilbert Waters. The Jamaica Plain Burial Ground is the one behind the Unitarian Universalist church at Centre and Eliot streets. I've walked around the graveyard, and some of the stones listed must have been lost over the years. Also, some of the extant stones are now difficult or impossible to read. Names like May, Weld and Seaverns are well known to us, but of course the names we know are far fewer than those remembered.

The last two names come from other sites. Of course, before the church was built in Jamaica Plain, residents would either be buried in Roxbury proper or simply be buried on their own property. Another entry will cover three known Revolutionary War burial sites in Jamaica Plain. Those buried on their own farms is another matter. When the land was sold, did they dig up the family? Or are there still bones lying about Jamaica Plain? Did house-builders ever dig up caskets while digging foundations? It seems likely that there must be at least a few forgotten souls in the ground somewhere in the district.

Note: some of the type in the original book couldn't be copied directly here. The combination AE is shown here as separate letters. In one case, November is abbreviated Nov with a superscript r at the end. All can be seen in the online copy of the original linked above.



Inscriptions From The Jamaica Plain Burial Ground In West Roxbury, Mass, Being The Whole Number Therein Contained.

[Copied by Luther M. Harris, M.D.]


Samuel Keyes died Oct. 26, 1785, aged 9 weeks.

In memory of Mary Woods, Daught. of Mr George Woods & Wife, who died Apl. 17, 1795; aged 5 years and 6 months.

In memory of Mr. Sylvanus Woods, youngest son of Mr. George & Mrs. Dolly Woods, who died March 25, 1808; aged 17.

In Memory of Mr. George Woods, obt Octr 15, 1815, Aged 73 years.

George, son of Mr. Richard and Mrs. Mary Lethbridge, died Sept.21, 1818, aged 5 mo. 14 da.

In Memory of Mrs. Mary Lethbridge, wife of Mr. Richard Lethbridge, Who died Dec. 27, 1818, AEt. 32.

In Memory of Mrs. Martha Ellis, Wife of Mr. Amasa Ellis; Who Died Nov. 26, 1812.

Erected in Memory of Mrs. Mary Harris, Wife of Mr. John Harris, who died May 7, 1814, in the 57th year of her age.

In Memory ofo Mr. Robert Harris, who died April 8, 1826, AEt. 40.

In memory of William Henry Cobleigh, who died Aug. 21, 1836, aged 17 years and 10 mos.

In memory of Capt. Lemuel May, died Novr 19, 1805, AE. 67.

In memory of Miss Rebecca Goddard, Daughter of Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Joanna Goddard, who died March 26, 1798, in the 12th year of her age.

Erected to the memory of Mr. Lyman Springer, Who died Nov. 25th 1839, aged 32 years & 11 months.

In memory of Mrs. Roxina Lawrence, wife of Mr. Reuben Lawrence, who died Dec. 3, 1842, aged 36 years. Also Hannah S., daughter of Reuben and Rosina Lawrence, who died Mar. 7, 1841, aged 8 years.

In Memory of Mr. David White, who died April 28, 1816, aged 70 years.

Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Margaret White, who died July 18, 1841, aged 92.

Sacred to the Memory of Capt. Isaac Sturtevant of Roxbury, who died July 10, 1806, AE 66.

In memory of Mrs Rebecca Sturtevant, who died June 7, 1827, aged 69.

Sacred to the memory of Betsey S. Gregory, who died Jan. 4, 1834, aged 17 years.

Sacred to the memory of Sila Pierce, who died Oct. 13, 1837, aged 30.

Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Esther Weld, wife of Mr. Thomas Weld, who died July 1, 1811, aged 56 - and Mr. Thomas Weld, wo died May 12, 1821, aged 70.

In Memory of Mr. Samuel White, who died Sept. 8, 1793, AEtatis 52.

In memory of Thomas W. Seaverns, son of Josiah & Rebecca Seaverns, who died January 29, 1802, aged 4 months.

In memory of Mrs. Anna Winchester, wife of Mr. Gulliver Winchester, who died April 18, 1797, AEtatis 60.

Erected in Memory of Mr. Gulliver Winchester, who died Novr. 12, 1811, AEt. 79.

In Memory of Mr. Henry Winchester, who died June 12, 1801, AEtatis 40.

In memory of Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of Mr. William Holmes, who died Jan. 6, 1835, aged 50 years.

In Memory of Mr. Charles Stimpson, died Aug. 15, 1800, aged 27 years.

In Memory of Capt. John Gould, died Jan. 10, 1814, aged 41.

In Memory of Mr. Royal Gould, died July 13, 1822, aged 35.

Sacred to the memory of Mr. Lemuel Harring, Obit June 20, 1815, AE. 20.

John Payson died Jan. 14, 1819, aged 6 years.

[On a tasteful marble monument.] Passed into the Superiour State, June 9, 1832, Frederick Chandler, AEt. 40 years. Elizabeth N. Angus, Jan. 6, 1847, AEt. 53

In memory of Frederick, son of Frederick & Elizabeth Chandler, who died Dec. 14, 1830, aged 13 years.

In Memory of Mr. William Shepherd, who died Augt. 28, 1801, AEt. 38.

In Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Child, wife of Mr. Phineas Child, who died Sept. 28, 1800, AE. 49.

Sacred to the memory of Abigail Child, dau. of Mr. Phineas and Mrs. Elizabeth Child, who died May 10, 1795, aged 6 years.

In memory of Mr Phineas Child, who died March 17, 1806, AE. 60.

In memory of Maria Vietch Cranch, AE. 22, died May 29, 1810, of a lingering and painful disease, which she bore with almost unexampled patience.

In Memory of Andrew Riddle, who died Dec. 14, 1830, aged 58 years.

In Memory of Jane Riddle, wife of Andrew Riddle, who died Sept. 18, 1890, aged 56.

In memory of John Riddle, who died July 24, 1836, aged 29 years.

Mrs. Margaret Smith died Sept. 25, 1812, aged 47.

Henry J., son of Morris and Esther Millet, died Aug. 24, 1836, AEt. 2 years.

In memory of Mrs. Zibiah Randall, wife of Mr. Abraham Randall, died Mar. 18, 1833, aged 78 years.

In memory of Mr. Abraham Randall, died Oct. 7, 1793, aged 14 months.

Mary Jemerson, died Aug. 31, 1839, aged 62 years - Louisa Jemerson died Oct. 15, 1844, aged 38 years. Wife and daughter of William Jemerson.

[A monument - on one side of the shaft is inscribed - ] A.P.H. died Apr. 3, 1836, aged 3 years and 9 months - J.W.H. died July 7, 1842, aged 2 years, children of Mr. Abraham and Mrs. Emily Hodgdon. [On another side] Sacred to the Memory of Mrs. Emily Hodgdon, wife of Mr. Abraham Hodgdon, who died July 1, 1843, aged 41 years.

Sacred to the memory of John Fessenden, Esq., who died Nov 16, 1845, aged 75 years.

[Two monuments within an enclosure. On the shaft of one is inscribed - ] Mary Ashton died Dec. 15, 1840. [On the other - ] Sarah E.H. Ashton, wife of Benjamin Callender, died Feb. 3, 1848, aged 31 years.

[On a marble slab within an inclosure is inscribed] -

Williams.

Those flowerets fair, so lately given,
Have joined their parent Rose - in Heaven.

Ellen, aged 30.
J.W., 14 m.
J.S.W., 3 m.


[The two next inscriptions were copied from head stones standing in open fields.]

"In memory of Miss Sarah Druse, who died Dec. 23, 1792, aged 42 years."

[She was the housekeeper and intended wife of the late Dea. Nathl. Weld. She died of natural small-pox. The Deacon had her buried on his own ground, about 30 rods from his house.]

[On a marble slab standing in a field on the Boylston estate, about 20 rods from Boylston street.]

"In memoria Doctoris Ludovici Leprilete, Mass. Med. Soc., Locii, Nati Nante in Gallia, Oct. 10, Anno Domin MDCCL. Obiit carcinomate in glandula prostata, Julii die 29, MDCCCIV. AEtat suae LIV.
Celeberrimus in Chirurgia.
Hic Etiam, ejus filius solus Ludovicus Leprilete sepultus est, natus Jan. 12, Anno Domini MDCCLXXXV. Obiit Oct 30, MDCCXCII. AEtat suae octavo anno."

Italian Cemetery (St Michaels)

I didn't know that St Michael's cemetery had any special connection to Italians until last year, when I was doing some footwork tracing down the tributaries of Stony Brook. The old Canterbury brook wrapped around today's border of St Michael's, so I went in to look for any surviving evidence of the stream. What I found when I drove in to the property was a veritable cornucopia of vowels - row after row of musical Italian names. There had to be an explanation for this, and here it is. St Michael's was founded as an Italian Catholic cemetery. St Michael's web site describes the facility as non-denominational, so somewhere along the line both the Italian and Catholic origins gave way. Today's Boston is diverse even in death.

Here's a map of the area from 1914 - the grounds have expanded since then. The cemetery is in the upper right.


Boston Daily Globe January 9, 1906


Italian Cemetery.


Clergymen Interested in Starting It Comment Upon "Unfounded Rumors" That Have Been Circulated.


To the Editor of the Globe - Since the granting by the board of aldermen of a permit to the Italian Catholic cemetery association to use a certain parcel of land for burial purposes all sorts of unfounded rumors have been circulated, and in order that the public may have correct information we ask the publication of this letter.

The Italian population in Boston numbers about 60,000 and has had no place of its own in which to bury its dead. Holy Cross cemetery at Malden and Calvary cemetery in West Roxbury are crowded, and the burial lots can no longer be secured at reasonable figures, and no more free graves for the poor are obtainable. The movement for a new cemetery was started by the pastors of the four Italian churches in Boston, and all steps taken, both with reference to negotiating for the purchase of the land and for the granting of a permit by the board of aldermen, were by and under their advice.

The continued news items against the cemetery because of its being Italian are unfair. We are proud to say that no people of God's earth better adorn or decorate the graves of their dead than do the Italians. We characterize as false all statements relative to graft or illegal burial. We ourselves were in touch with the negotiation for the purchase of the land, and we also attended upon the board of aldermen in person the interment of the body, made solely for the purpose of taking legal possession of the premises under the permit as we understand to be customary, was made on the afternoon of Monday, and not in the evening of Saturday.

we understand that under the laws of the commonwealth and ordinances of our city the dead may be buried within the confines of the city. We asked nothing more, and we received nothing but what was our right, what has been granted to others and will be again. We deem it a right that no man can deny, that as citizens of Boston we are entitled to a place of burial for our dead.

If the entire city were searched no more fitting place could be found for the site of a cemetery than that selected, as may be attested by the location of others in the same vicinity, namely the Forest Hills cemetery, Calvary cemetery, Mt Hope cemetery and others. In fact it is the cemetery district of Boston, and this leads us to look in that direction for a location.

The property is bounded by Walk Hill, Canterbury and Bourne sts on three sides and by vacant unused land on the fourth. There are no buildings on the property save one on Walk Hill st, which we are willing and desirous of purchasing. Pierce farm, owned by the city of Boston, is on the opposite corner, and with the crematory but a few feet away on Walk Hill st it is in no sense a residential district.

We must have a cemetery and what better place could there be for one than the one selected, with a cemetery on the opposite side of the street and another directly to the rear, with very few residences in the immediate locality, and with the prospect of building entirely eliminated by the public lands held by the city in the immediate vicinity.

We have met every legal requirement, and feel that the opposition we are now meeting has been aroused, and that the press is unwittingly being used by interested persons with ulterior motives, who have endeavored to thwart us in our efforts to secure the permit, and we are cognizant of the fact that they are now encouraging unjust agitation against us.

Rev Roberto Biasotti
Rev F. Valerianus, OFM
Rev P Di Milla
Rev Francis F. Saunella.




January 28, 1907


Blessing The Ground.

Rev Fr Di Milla Officiates at the Services Held at the Italian Cemetery in Forest Hills.


Yesterday afternoon many Italians were present at the blessing of the ground of the Italian Catholic cemetery association on Walkhill st, Forest Hills.

Since it gained title to the plot of ground near Canterbury st, over which there had been much objection made by residents of that section, the association has fenced it in, graded the lot, established a system of drainage and erected an ornamental gateway.

The exercises were conducted by Rev Fr Pasquale Di Milla.

Tollgate Cemetery

Tollgate Cemetery, Forest Hills 2007. (Copyright, all rights reserved)


Tollgate Cemetery headstone, 2007 (Copyright, all rights reserved)


After years (generations?) of neglect, the Tollgate cemetery in Forest Hills has finally had some attention paid to it. An Irish-American war veteran memorial now stands in the grounds, and flags can be seen each Memorial Day. The land was bought to serve as a Catholic cemetery in the mid-19th century, and seems to have been forgotten by the Archdiocese soon after it was filled up. Apparently, many graves are now unmarked, and the headstones that remain are either damaged or worn to the point of near-illegibility.

The marker shown above was chosen to point out that not all Boston Catholics during the 1850s were Irish. There are several headstones carved in German. Both northern Protestant and southern Catholic Germans came to Boston, and some of the latter found their final resting place along the railroad tracks in this small plot of land. When it was opened, the area was quiet, but for the trains passing by. Years later, it sat ignored in the midst of a busy traffic hub. Not all Forest Hills cemeteries are created equal.

Walter Street Cemetery

I don't know when I first saw the headstones of the Walter Street Cemetery, but I know I was pretty young. The idea of a graveyard inside the Arboretum was a little disconcerting. The people of Roslindale claim Peter's Hill as their own, but the cemetery contains souls originally buried in Jamaica Plain. It is known as a Revolutionary War cemetery, but the double headstone above memorializes Benjamin and Grace Child. Do you suppose they are the same family that gave Child street its name? I do. There's something appealing about connecting familiar street name with actual people.